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(11) | EP 1 674 354 A3 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Retractor with multiple level load limiter |
| (57) A multi-level energy absorption retractor (10) is provided with a torsion type of
energy absorption which is achieved automatically without the use of an independent
sensing mechanism and an electrical control to start energy dissipation and/or to
shift from one amount of energy absorption to another amount of energy absorption
at the time of an accident. First and second torsion elements (54,56), preferably
formed in a single torsion bar (22), are utilized with automatic twisting of the first
torsion element (54) for an initial predetermined amount of spool rotation and energy
absorption and then automatically transitioning to twist the second torsion element
(56) for energy absorption at the second level. Preferably, a coupling device (43)
sequentially couples the first torsion element for energy absorption at the first
level, and then, automatically after a predetermined amount of spool rotation couples
the second torsion element for energy absorption at the second level.
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